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A common assumption people made about Byakuya Togami was that he did not like touching. Physical contact of any kind was wholly unwanted and entirely unwelcome. Makoto would be a liar if he said that he hadn't initially fallen under that assumption too. After all, Byakuya didn't exactly give off "cuddly teddy bear" vibes. And in everyone's defense, part of the assumption was kind of true: Byakuya doesn't like being touched for no reason by people he doesn't like or isn't particularly close with.
However, now, when it comes to his relationship with Byakuya Togami, Makoto no longer falls under the latter and he certainly isn't a part of the former either, which means he's been granted special privileges. Privileges that have blown the assumption of Byakuya not liking touching completely out of the water. To the contrary...
Byakuya Togami is incredibly needy.
Granted, that's only during times that he deems fit; it's not like he's constantly in need of affection. The real issue is that during those times that he "deems fit", when he decides for himself that yes, he would like his boyfriend to pay attention to him now, he really means he would like his boyfriend to pay attention to him now. He's almost like a cat, incessantly needling for affection until he gets what he wants, and he makes sure that he'll be getting what he wants.
But that isn't to say Makoto's complaining, no, of course not! If anything, this is so much better than what he initially expected dating Byakuya Togami would be like, a relationship behind closed doors with absolutely no public displays of affection allowed. He definitely doesn't mind indulging Byakuya's needs for attention when the issue comes up, it's just that more often than not, the issue comes up without warning.
Case in point, right now. Makoto was just trying to put away some of his notebooks and textbooks into his locker after classes had ended for the day. The locker room had been empty at this point because everyone else had gotten out of class some time ago, while Makoto had to stay behind to discuss his grade with the teacher. Math had never been a strong suit of his and his grade in the class is starting to slip, so an extra assignment or two is needed for him to bring it back up to average.
He's so busy trying to get his books vaguely organized - they don't need to be perfect, he just needs them neat enough so that he won't cause an avalanche of paper next time he needs to open his locker - that he doesn't hear the footsteps enter the room until the newcomer is right behind him. He closes his locker and starts to turn around himself when a hand comes down on his shoulder and does it for him. The noise that comes from him next he can only really describe as a surprised squeak that quickly gets cut off by a pair of lips pressed against his own.
Oh, so that's what this was. Now that he knows that this isn't someone trying to beat him up for some accidental slight he may have caused, his shoulders relax and heart rate decreases by a fraction. It's still beating pretty damn fast for the obvious reason of Byakuya is really good at this, but at least now it's not an adrenaline-caused fight or flight response.
Byakuya's the one who pulls back first, giving Makoto a chance to finally catch his breath. He's still not complaining, but sometimes a little warning would be nice first to give him a chance to prepare. He wants to blame the sort of fuzziness that's settled over his mind on the fact that he needs to breathe, but really, it's probably more accurate to assume the cause is that Byakuya is ridiculously good at this and it makes it hard to think afterward sometimes. As a result, the most coherent sentence he can think to say at that point is a simple, "Uh, hi."
Byakuya looks down at him over the rim of his glasses, eyes half-lidded and lips slightly parted. He's much more subtle at catching his breath than Makoto is, but it's impossible for him to hide the undeniable flush dusted across his cheeks, proving that he is indeed just as affected by this. He rests his arms on Makoto's shoulders to give him the leverage he needs to pull Makoto in closer and bury his nose in chestnut hair. "I missed you," Byakuya mumbles breathlessly.
"I mean, it's only been, like twenty minutes since we saw each other in class," Makoto replies, even though he's well aware that not what Byakuya means. His boyfriend is a very physically oriented person, and a few stolen glances in the middle of a lecture when the teacher isn't looking is nothing compared to having someone, holding them in your arms. He can't really deny it as he rests his head against Byakuya's chest, he kinda missed this too.
The moment he has to listen to his boyfriend's steady heartbeat is short-lived, however, when Byakuya himself separates the two of them just enough so that he can take hold of Makoto's chin and tilt his head upward. "Twenty minutes or twenty hours, I don't care. I missed you," Byakuya repeats huskily, this time with a touch of emphasis that sends a tingle down Makoto's spine, before leaning in to capture his lips once again. God, he was unfairly good at this.
Makoto's just starting to find his rhythm when Byakuya abruptly breaks away, leaving him flushed and warm, but unmistakably confused. He thinks at first that he must have done something wrong, but Byakuya hadn't entirely pushed him away. His hands are still resting just above Makoto's hipbone and they're still holding each other close enough for it to be considered a romantic embrace, so...what exactly was the problem? "What - "
Before he can even think about finishing the question, Byakuya hisses at him, "Shh." The words die in his throat and he waits, but...okay, maybe Byakuya wasn't the only needy one in this relationship. He doesn't wanna come off as impatient, but the fact of the matter is that he is. Byakuya isn't even looking at him anymore; instead, the blond's eyes are slightly unfocused and looking off to the side. Makoto recognizes the expression as one Byakuya usually has when he's deep in thought or pondering something, but does he really have to be thinking about whatever it is right now?
Makoto subconsciously lets out a whine, though he really doesn't mean to, and not half a second later, Byakuya snaps, "Alright, that's enough." He's sure that he did something wrong this time when Byakuya pulls away from him entirely and his heart sinks all the way to his stomach. He's already prepared to spout an apology when he notices that Byakuya's glare is focused not on him, but somewhere else entirely. He shifts his gaze to follow Byakuya's line of sight and eventually finds himself staring at the door leading into the locker room.
Where, at Byakuya's sudden command, Toko has decided to reveal herself. Makoto's heart drastically lightens at the sight of her; not because he's happy to see her being yelled - in fact, he really wishes Byakuya didn't yell at her as much - but because it means he isn't the one Byakuya's mad at. Though she refuses to meet either of their eyes as she furiously wrings her hands in front of her, Makoto can see that her whole face is a deep scarlet, but he can't read if her expression is supposed to be embarrassment that she was caught, anger at him for being the one that Byakuya had chosen over her, or maybe it was from one of those delusions of hers...
Okay, no, he thinks as the very notion causes deep, unsettling nausea in the pit of his gut, I really hope it isn't that last one.
"How many times have I told you," Byakuya seethes through clenched teeth as his eyes narrow, "to stop following me?" Makoto involuntarily flinches at the sound even though he's well aware that he's not the one getting chewed out now. Though Byakuya is usually entirely cool, calm, and collected, when something does manage to get under his skin, the end result is not pretty. Makoto reaches to touch Byakuya's arm, to try and give him the hint to calm down some, but at the exact same moment, Toko starts mumbling something that he can't quite make out - an apology or something along those lines, maybe? - which causes Byakuya to snap again, "It was a rhetorical question, I don't want you to speak."
And just like that, Byakuya takes his leave. He storms out of the room without sparing even so much as a second glance at Toko and he's gone. Makoto wants to go after him, but he also doesn't feel comfortable leaving things as they are with Toko. "I'm...really sorry about that," he says slowly and he wants to add more, but he isn't really sure what else he can say. 'He's probably not even really that mad'? No, that's not true; he had been very mad, there's no denying that much. 'I'm sure he'll forget all about this later'? Maybe if this was the first occurrence of something like this, but she had been stalking Byakuya for some time now; he's probably not likely to forgive and forget just like that after all this time. All else Makoto can really think to offer her at this point is an apologetic shrug and a smile that he hopes gets across that, at the very least, he doesn't have any hard feelings against her.
Toko stares him down before quickly shifting her gaze elsewhere and spitting out, "Wh-whatever. Just...g-go follow after him like the l-lapdog you are."
Makoto flinches. He wasn't exactly expecting her to be happy with him - their relationship had never been particularly friendly to begin with and it only had managed to get rockier when he and Byakuya had become a thing - but that seemed a little harsh and not to mention just a bit hypocritical coming from her. Not that he plans on voicing that part out loud. Instead, he just draws up his shoulders and replies, "Uh, r-right. Sorry again," before taking his leave. He doesn't feel guilty for dating Byakuya, but he does wish there was something he could do to make it up to Toko.
Ah, well. That's something he can dwell on later. For right now, he needs to go find his boyfriend so he can calm him down next.
Makoto eventually stumbles upon Byakuya sulking outside the boys' bathroom, rubbing his temples like he's trying to fight off a migraine. He doesn't wanna call out to the blond, especially not if he really is on the verge of a headache, but thankfully he doesn't have to, as Byakuya looks up just as Makoto starts to approach. The previous fire has already vanished from his eyes and has instead been replaced by vague irritation and tiredness. That makes sense; something that Makoto's noticed in his time of knowing Byakuya is that his anger flares up fast in the heat of the moment, only to die quickly once that moment passes.
"I'm sorry you had to see that," Byakuya says plainly once Makoto's in earshot. His voice is quiet, and while Makoto wouldn't call his tone ashamed, he definitely gets the sense that Byakuya would've rather not had to get angry like that.
"No, it's fine, I just...I really wish you wouldn't snap at her like that," Makoto answers. It's not that he doesn't understand the reason Byakuya's upset - Toko is essentially stalking him - but there has to be a better way to resolve the issue other than yelling, right?
Byakuya sighs and sets his jaw but otherwise doesn't respond to Makoto's statement. Rather, what he does is slip his hand into Makoto's own and whispers, "I don't want to think about her right now. I want to think about you."
The warmth from earlier starts making its way back, starting in his chest before spreading up to his face and ears. Dropping the issue just like that doesn't seem right, but he also doesn't want to push the topic too hard if he doesn't have to. And, well...they had kind of been in the middle of something before getting interrupted. The rational part of his brain ends up getting drowned out by his rapidly growing desire to get back to making out with his boyfriend and his last thought before giving in entirely is that he can file that conversation away for them to have later, when they're not busy.
With that issue pushed to the back of his mind, Makoto feels bold enough to make the first move this time and grabs onto Byakuya's uniform jacket to give him leverage. However, before he can actually make his move, Byakuya stops him. "No. Not here. Bathroom."
"Wh - huh?" Makoto can feel his face go bright red at the very suggestion. Why the bathroom? What exactly did Byakuya have planned that they needed to hide in the bathroom for it? His mind can think of a few different things, and, well...it's not like he's never thought about that kind of stuff before and it's not like he's scared or anything, but, in the school bathroom, really?
"No, you idiot," Byakuya says like he's reading Makoto's mind or, more accurately, probably just reading the look on Makoto's face, "I just don't want her following us again."
"Oh." Makoto's face stays red but with a different kind of embarrassment this time. Still, embarrassment aside, he doesn't protest when Byakuya tugs him into the boys' bathroom by his arm. It's thankfully empty, which should mean no other interruptions, and the only sounds are coming from the faint bubbling of the filter in the fish tank built into the far wall. Makoto always thought the idea was neat, but also very strange; why a fish tank in a bathroom?
He isn't given much time to properly ponder that thought further, because Byakuya is quick to get right back to business. Arms snake around his waist from behind to pull him in and soon after Byakuya's nose is buried in the crook of his neck. He squirms slightly in retaliation because come on, this is not a fair position for him and Byakuya knows damn well he's ticklish! All his protests melt away, however, when that transforms into Byakuya laying a trail of soft kisses up the side of his neck to his jaw.
Byakuya's breath ghosts across Makoto's ear when he whispers, "God, I love you." Makoto appreciates the sentiment and he reciprocates entirely, really, he does, but also Byakuya's an ass who's just using this opportunity to play him like a fiddle and they both know it. In an attempt to gain some ground against him, Makoto turns his head and gets a kiss in against Byakuya's chin. He was aiming for the lips, but he's at a clear disadvantage given his current position so he'll take what he can get.
Thankfully, that one move seems to get the message across and Byakuya's grip around Makoto's waist loosens so he can finally twist himself around to face his boyfriend properly. Now that they're on even ground, Makoto can try that kiss again and this time, he's found his target. Byakuya leans into it, one hand cupping Makoto's face while the other comes to rest on Makoto's hip. Pretty soon, he finds himself partially wedged between two sinks and sure, it's not the most comfortable position but as far as he's concerned, it's better than his last one because at least now he can show some reciprocation.
"Uh - whoa, shit!"
Makoto isn't sure how they missed the sound of the door opening, but it's impossible for them to miss the outburst that follows it and they separate to turn their attention to Leon, who stands there with one hand on the door and the other held up frozen in front of him as he looks between them with wide eyes. The corner of his mouth quirks upward in a nervous grin as he says, "Uh, fuck, sorry. I'm not trying to interrupt or anything, you guys do you, but...look, I really gotta take a leak, so..." The redhead trails off like he's giving them a chance to add their thoughts on the situation, but then at the same time, he heads into a stall before either of them are given a chance to say anything.
It's not like Makoto doesn't understand the age-old adage of, "When you gotta go, you gotta go," but of all the bathrooms in the school, Leon had to pick this one? There were even private bathrooms in each dorm room, and he comes here? Apparently, Byakuya shares in his frustration judging by the long irritated sigh he breathes out through his nose. Neither of them says as much, but it's painfully clear that the moment has been ruined.
"Come on," Byakuya eventually says as he turns to leave, bitterness practically dripping from his mouth.
Makoto doesn't stop him, but he does hesitate for a moment at his boyfriend's suddenness which leaves him struggling to catch up with Byakuya's stride as he stalks out of the bathroom. "Uh, where are we headed?" Makoto asks when he manages to fall in time with Byakuya's walking speed.
"Anywhere else," is Byakuya's clipped reply. Judging by his tone, Makoto assumes that means their personal time is over and he's no longer in the mood, but those assumptions are dashed when Byakuya takes him by the arm and adds, "I'm not done with you yet."
Well then. Makoto definitely isn't about to say no.
It turns out that "anywhere else" translates to "the kitchen". Makoto figures it makes some amount of sense; lunch has already passed, dinner won't be for another hour or so, and while Makoto is all for taking it slow and enjoying themselves, he seriously doubts that they're going to need to take that much time.
One added benefit of choosing the kitchen is that the countertops provide the perfect opportunity to help bridge their height difference much easier. Makoto had never been all too sensitive about his below average height before, but it does end up getting emphasized when put in comparison to his six-foot-one boyfriend, and it can make things a little awkward between them physically at times. That's why Makoto's currently sitting up on top of the counter, because this makes everything so much easier on the both of them.
Unfortunately, there's a slight downside in that his enjoyment is hampered by the fact that he is acutely aware his back is dangerously close to a group of very sharp knives hanging on the wall, but he figures that as long as they're careful, things should be fine.
Trying to push the thought of deadly sharp cooking utensils out of his mind, he wraps his arms around Byakuya's neck and focuses on what's important. He isn't usually given the chance to run his fingers through Byakuya's hair like this because of the whole "being too short" thing, but there's something uniquely satisfying about being able to draw out pleased little mumbles from Byakuya between kisses with something as simple as just gently scratching his scalp.
Eventually, Byakuya chooses to work his way down to the neck and Makoto gladly tilts his head to the side to supply better access. At first, it seems like Byakuya's willing to keep things tame, but at some point, decides to push further and adds teeth to the equation. Makoto's not upset by the experimentation, but it does catch him off guard, and the first nip pulls a breathy moan from him that he doesn't have the chance to try to suppress. That response apparently emboldens Byakuya and he continues, punctuating every soft bite with a kiss.
Makoto's eyes flutter open - he wasn't even aware that he closed them at some point, to be honest - and he shifts his gaze downward, only let out a sudden scream of terror. Byakuya stops everything immediately and pulls back, staring at him with obvious confusion and concern, probably worried that he'd pushed things too far and accidentally ended up hurting Makoto. But no, that wasn't the issue, definitely not.
The issue was that they suddenly weren't alone anymore.
Makoto isn't sure when she got there or how she managed to get there without either of them hearing her, but the facts of the matter are that Junko Enoshima had not been in the kitchen when they had arrived and now she is, standing on the other side of the kitchen island, phone in hand and grinning like the Cheshire cat.
It's when Byakuya turns to notice her arrival too that she finally speaks. "Oh, no, by all means! Please continue." She doesn't actually look at them when she says it, eyes still trained directly on her phone. Her phone that is pointed right towards them. Her phone that has the camera light on.
Oh, god, she's recording this.
Byakuya must end up putting all that together too because, in a matter of seconds, his hands are on Makoto's waist and pulling him off the countertop as if the knives that had been pressed to his back just a moment ago were suddenly going to jump up and impale him repeatedly like haunted kitchenware. Makoto is completely and utterly mortified by the whole situation, avoiding looking at the camera at all costs when he hears Byakuya practically snarl, "I don't know what you were planning on doing with that footage, but I want it deleted immediately."
If intimidation was what Byakuya was going for, it doesn't seem to have much of an effect on Junko, who answers to his demands with a crooked grin. "Aww, but what if I offered you both a cut of the profits? We can split it 30-30-40!"
"If you even think about distributing that video, I swear - "
Just like that, it seems like Junko suddenly tires of the back-and-forth between them and cuts Byakuya off with an exaggerated yawn. "Alright, alright, chill the fuck out, I'm not selling shit. I'm screwing with you guys; god, learn to play along once in a while!" And just like that, she shuts the recording off and tucks her phone into her back pocket. "See? We're done here."
Byakuya doesn't have a response to that and frankly, neither does Makoto. No matter how much he'd tried to learn about Junko or to get to know her, she's always been a bit of a wildcard that seems to go out of her way just to defy other people's expectations. Finally, like he's trying to save face from the entire situation, Byakuya scoffs and firmly takes a hold of Makoto's hand before pulling him away. On their way out, he can't help but notice Mukuro waiting by the door and Makoto swears he could've heard her mutter an apology to them under her breath. He flashes her a quick smile regardless because he's pretty sure she doesn't actually take much joy in being roped into her sister's schemes like this. Unfortunately, he isn't given the chance to see if she reciprocates because in the very next moment, he and Byakuya are out the door of the dining hall.
Now in the main hallway and away from prying eyes, Byakuya lets out a frustrated huff and drops Makoto's hand. There's a hint of red to his face, but Makoto isn't sure if it's from residual embarrassment or just plain anger. Maybe both. Either way, it's not like Makoto doesn't get it, today hasn't exactly been lucky for them - kind of ironic, when he thinks of it that way. But still... "Hey, uh..."
"I'm assuming after that little mishap, you're done for the day," Byakuya says, and while his tone definitely sounds fed up, there's a more striking emotion that Makoto manages to pick up on in there too: disappointment. Byakuya is the kind of person who hates leaving things unfinished, but he's also made clear that pushing the boundaries of consent is a matter he'd rather not get involved with. He had given Makoto his word on that at the start of the relationship - if, at any point, something became too much or unwanted, all that was needed was for Makoto to say no.
But...that was only if Makoto wanted to stop, wasn't it? "I mean, I think we can try again."
"...Excuse me?" Byakuya asks, staring back at him with an almost hopeful kind of surprise, like he isn't sure he heard correctly.
Makoto just shrugs and smiles back. "Maybe somewhere...quieter, this time?"
The quietest place in the school that either of them can think of is the library. It's after classes and the last day of school for that week so most students are settling down for their weekend, not focusing on studying in the school library. Case in point, when they first arrived, there were very few people still milling around and all it takes is tucking themselves away behind a bookshelf in the References section to stay out of sight.
The only problem is there's a disappointing lack of countertops in the library, but Makoto supposes at least being tall had been fun while it lasted.
It is thankfully much quieter, though, and something about the atmosphere puts them both at ease. If Makoto had to guess, he'd assume that's part of why Byakuya's taking things slower now and less impatiently. It's...nice, in a way; comforting, if he had to think of a way to put it. When they pull apart from their last kiss, the distance they keep between them stays small enough that Makoto can still feel Byakuya's soft, warm breath against his skin. For a while, they just stare at each other and in a daze, Makoto mumbles, "You have...really pretty eyes."
It's a stupid and childish observation, and immediately after saying it, he can feel his face starting to burn from just how dumb that sounded. Don't get him wrong, it was true - Makoto had always thought Byakuya's eyes were striking in just how intense they could get when he was focused on something and in how deep they were in color, that dark sort of cobalt - but it's just like Makoto to be able to think of a thousand different ways to compliment his boyfriend's eyes in his head, but then all that comes out of his mouth is, uh you have pretty eyes.
Byakuya doesn't even dignify it with a proper response, just furrows his brow slightly and holds eye contact like he's staring straight through into Makoto's soul. And yes, his eyes are very pretty while doing it, which just makes Makoto feel even more embarrassed because now he can't stop staring. It's like hypnotism. Stupid, handsome, cobalt blue hypnotism. As if trying some sort of defense mechanism, he forcibly shifts his gaze elsewhere, down towards their feet. He's still acutely aware of how Byakuya is watching his every move, but anything is better than just staring and waiting for a response.
When he does get his response, it's emphasized with a light, breathy chuckle. "Funny." Byakuya's hand comes to rest just under Makoto's chin, tilting his head up by just a few degrees. "I was just thinking the same thing." Makoto's brain fumbles to play catch-up as part of him wants to at least attempt some means of a reply while the other part of him is sure that if he even tries, he'll end up botching the delivery.
The end result leaves him stumbling over a proper thank you that's just waiting on his lips to be said and what does come out is, "Oh, o-okay."
Smooth.
That's the straw that breaks the camel's back and Makoto's decided that he's done letting his mouth say words, so instead, he launches himself back into making out, taking the initiative with their next kiss and trying to forget the words, oh okay, ever happened. Byakuya certainly doesn't seem to be complaining and for once seems absolutely content to let Makoto take the lead. It's a nice change of pace, he's got to admit, setting their rhythm and having control.
"Excuse me, gentlemen."
But given his streak of unluckiness, it doesn't seem it's meant to last.
The far-too-loud-to-actually-be-considered-a whisper is actually the second sign that they're being interrupted. The first is a tap on the shoulder that Makoto thought maybe he'd just been imagining and had been too preoccupied to actually check. It's the unsubtle stage whisper that causes him to pull back from Byakuya, breathless and a little dazed, and notice that what was once supposed to be a quiet, couple moment has now been infiltrated by a third party.
"As your classmate and friend, I feel the need to congratulate you on your healthy and blossoming relationship," Taka announces in the loudest whisper Makoto thinks he's ever heard before in his life. "However! I must point out that your current actions are highly inappropriate for a school environment."
Makoto...isn't sure what to say. He's always understood that Taka's whole deal is following rules and all that, but...really? Now? What are you even supposed to say when someone walks up to you and says, 'Congratulations on your boyfriend, but stop making out with him now'? Makoto throws an inquisitive glance Byakuya's way to see if maybe he has any ideas on how to go about this issue, but the blond's expression is a wall, cold but otherwise unreadable.
If Taka notices that neither of them are receiving his speech well, he doesn't let that affect him as he straightens his posture, folding his arms behind him with his back going ramrod straight. "This library is a place of learning first and foremost, and all passions within these walls should be directed fully towards reading and gaining knowledge. Quite frankly, I'm shocked, Byakuya; I thought you of all people in our class would understand that!"
Now that he's been addressed specifically, Byakuya finally finds the words for Taka he's looking for: a blunt, monotone, "Go away."
"Gladly!" Taka says with his overbearing whisper-shouting. "However, first, I must get both of your agreements that you will cease this flagrant public display of affection immediately. Please understand, I'm willing to let you off with a warning just this once. In fact, might I recommend other, more school appropriate methods of expressing your relationship, such as holding hands or a no longer than five-second hug?"
"Our relationship isn't open to suggestions," Byakuya replies, the sarcasm coming from his words practically palpable in the air.
Taka, however, is left unphased. "Ah, my sincerest apologies! I had no intentions to overstep my boundaries! I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me!"
Taka briefly bows his head respectfully, but otherwise stays firmly put in front of them and makes no other movements. It's kind of a little creepy, if Makoto's being entirely honest, how he's just standing there, watching them intently and saying nothing. Seconds pass before Byakuya finally sees fit to break the awkward silence between the three of them with an insistent, "Leave."
"As I said, I would love to gladly comply, but unfortunately, on my honor as the Ultimate Moral Compass, I can't in good faith simply walk away until I receive your word from both of you that you will stop this inappropriate behavior at once!" Taka replies, blissfully unaware of Byakuya's rapidly declining patience with this entire scenario.
Makoto, on the other hand, is all too aware of it and can see from a mile away that this conversation is quickly headed nowhere good. In an attempt to salvage the situation before things take a downturn any more than they already have, he reaches out and seizes Byakuya's hand to try and ground his boyfriend while he says, "Uh, actually, you know, I think we're just gonna go."
"We're what?" Byakuya asks in bafflement, the simple question boiling with a mild undertone of his temper.
On the other hand, Taka begins slowly bobbing his head as he considers. "Well, I suppose that would also be an acceptable alternative, yes. However, I certainly hope you heed my warning from here on out; all behaviors of the carnal nature are strictly prohibited inside this learning environment of ours! If I find the two of you like this again, I'll be forced to take disciplinary measures!"
"Y-yeah, right, of course, definitely! Our fault, we won't be doing it again!" Makoto answers, hoping that Taka isn't observant enough to notice the way the pitch of his voice goes a little funny as he starts gently pull Byakuya away. The blond is, at first, stubbornly unmoving in his positioning, feet firmly planted and unwilling to bend, but Makoto tightens his hold on Byakuya's hand and softens his voice when he says, "C'mon, Byakuya. Please?"
Makoto is hardly a master of manipulation, far from it, but he is aware of the fact that Byakuya is far more easy to whittle down when he's presented with a gentle smile and a hopeful glance. Case in point, Byakuya responds to Makoto's pleading with a scoff and a roll of his eyes, but nonetheless allows himself to be led away from Taka and out of the library altogether. However, once they round the corner leading to the third-floor stairs, Byakuya decides that's as far as he's willing to go and digs his heels in once again. "'Won't be doing it again'? Please tell me you weren't serious."
"Oh, no, of course not." Makoto is not a fan of lying. He particularly doesn't enjoy lying to his friends. But during his time of knowing Taka and how strict the other boy is about adhering to the rules, he's come to learn that sometimes, the occasional small, tiny, little white lie is necessary. "We're definitely not done yet; I just figured I had to say something so we could get away from him without causing a scene."
"Really?" With a quiet chuckle, Byakuya closes some of the already short distance between them, looking at him with a sort of newfound appreciation. "I must say, I never imagined you could be so devious, Makoto. I'm impressed."
The compliment and the close proximity in combination send a shiver up Makoto's spine and his breath hitches a little when Byakuya reaches to cup a hand around his face, fingers just barely brushing against his jawline. Makoto licks his lips in anticipation, but before he gives in to overeager impatience, he mumbles breathlessly, "Uh, i-if we do this in the hallway and Taka comes out and finds us, we're both gonna get detention. We gotta...we gotta take this somewhere else."
Their agreement on needing to get as far away from Taka as humanly possible while remaining on school grounds ends up leading them to the fifth-floor indoor garden. The decision was made more out of desperation than out of any real planning on what to do upon arrival and, well...if Makoto's honest, it shows.
"This, uh...wasn't really a great idea," Makoto mumbles against Byakuya's lips when they separate by just enough for him to speak.
"Shut up, I don't care," Byakuya answers, speaking like he was even giving Makoto the option of disobeying, but really, it's not like Makoto could continue talking back if he wanted to, considering how then Byakuya forcibly silences all potential future complaints by pressing their lips together once again.
Okay, Makoto will admit, maybe they're a little desperate, given their current track record today. That would explain why they aren't being picky or choosy about where they get their personal time. But the garden...it's hot. Due to the fact that it's meant to be raising a variety of tropical plants, the room needs to be kept at an appropriate temperate. And that temperature...is hot. On top of that, due to the sprinklers offering the flora a light misting twice every day, the garden is also ridiculously humid.
On a good day, the garden atmosphere can be refreshing. In fact, sometimes Makoto likes to bring his lunch up here to have a sort of indoor-outdoor picnic. But at the moment, it is most certainly not refreshing, not considering that they're both wearing their multi-layer school uniform and the fact that they had to climb three flights of stairs to get here - for everything Hope's Peak had, Makoto has to wonder why nobody thought to install any elevators in the school. The overall result of this equation is that they're both hot, flushed, and sweaty for all the entirely wrong reasons.
"Mm, hang on, hang on," Makoto gasps between pants - god, why is hot air so hard to breathe? - as he pulls back to loosen his tie a little. It doesn't offer much in terms of opening up airflow, but it does give a little bit of comfort. "Lemme just...catch my breath a second."
"By all means...go right ahead." Though he would never admit it out loud, the heat is obviously getting to Byakuya too. He's already long since removed his blazer and hung it up on the doorknob of the door leading into the chicken coop, as well as rolled up his sleeves to the elbows. Any other time, this once in a blue moon informality, this less-than-complete-perfection image of Byakuya would be a welcome sight, and...okay, maybe it still kind of is, but Makoto just wishes he was in a more comfortable environment to better appreciate it. Meanwhile, Makoto's own blazer was quickly abandoned and just left to sit on the ground, because he figures he's going to have to seriously do laundry after this anyway, a little dirt on his jacket isn't going to make anything any worse.
"Alright, I think I'm - I'm okay now," Makoto mutters and taking that as an invitation, Byakuya presses their foreheads together, though it's a bit awkward with how their slicked bangs sort of stick and tangle together. Their pace has slowed to a lazy crawl at this point, consisting primarily of short, quick kisses that, while still enjoyable, would be so much better if they were somewhere with air conditioning. Absentmindedly, Makoto finds himself breathing out, "Man, it's really hot..."
Byakuya lets out a quick huff of hot breath doesn't really help the situation any. "Oh, really? I hadn't noticed." The sardonic reply doesn't have any real bite behind it; it seems that Byakuya's grown too tired to even put any edge into his sarcasm at this point.
Still, even if it's not a genuine scathing remark and this is just tired, somewhat playing back and forth, Makoto still sees a need to defend himself. After all, it's not much back and forth when there's only "forth" and no "back". "Alright, look - "
Crunch.
Makoto isn't even sure what he was going to say, but he does know that whatever reply he had all lined up to shoot back has vanished completely from his mind at that interruption. At first, neither of them say anything, just staring at each other in matching confusion as if to ask, "Wait, you heard that too, right?" Then, it comes a second time: Crunch. Now that they're positive that they aren't both going crazy, they pull apart to find the origin of the sound and Makoto's heart drops.
Because standing just a few feet off to the side, watching the chicken coop with enraptured attention is Yasuhiro Hagakure with a bag of cheese puffs in one hand and the telltale signs of cheesy flavor dust on the other.
"You've got to be kidding me," Byakuya utters dryly, while Makoto just chooses to vent his frustration by hitting the back of his head against the coop a few times, drawing the sounds of a few startled and upset chickens from within.
That's all it takes to break Hiro's concentration and he happens to glance over, wide-eyed and blinking. The confusion doesn't last long, however, and in the next second, his face breaks out in a grin. "Oh, hey, guys, what's up?" He asks before popping another cheese snack into his mouth and waving at them with orange colored fingers.
"You're kidding me. This has to be a joke," Byakuya repeats, too exhausted to be seething but just tired enough to make his irritation evident.
Hiro, however, is apparently too stupid to pick up on as much and misses the point entirely. "Oh, uh, right, haha! My bad!" The older man fumbles with his bag for a second to readjust his grip on it before thrusting it out in their direction, the opening of it pointed directly at them. "Sorry, I just saw you guys were busy with, y'know, so I figured you wouldn't want me cuttin' in, but yeah, man, I don't mind sharin'; you guys want some? Go ahead!"
Byakuya doesn't take the offer well, but in Makoto's opinion, he does at least take it better than he normally would any other day. There aren't any insults directed at Hiro's intelligence, no remarks about how dare Hiro assume that he'd ever be interested in eating whatever garbage commoners call 'snack food', not even any sharp glares or eye rolls. No, all Byakuya does is snatch up his blazer from where it hangs on the chicken coop doorknob, sling it over his shoulder, and then walk away without a single word.
Makoto can relate entirely. He picks up his own jacket up off of the ground and shakes it to free it of any loose dirt or grass that might cling to it, then carefully slips it back on. Hiro, on the other hand, is still staring in bafflement at Byakuya's retreating form. "Uh, shoot, is he allergic or somethin'?" If he's bothered about having potentially offended Byakuya, Hiro doesn't let it show too much as the next moment, he's shrugging off the issue and then presenting the bag to Makoto. "You want some?"
All Makoto can do at first is stare blankly at cheese puffs offered to him. His priorities should probably be on finding where Byakuya went off to sulk this time, and then figuring out what they're going to do from here. He should probably also be a little upset at Hiro for the interruption in the first place. But... "Alright, yeah, sure, I'll take one. Thanks." ...why not?, he figures as he puts the cheese snack in his mouth.
It didn't take Makoto long to find Byakuya. Well, it was probably more accurate to say Byakuya found Makoto; the blond had been waiting right outside the door to the garden, presumably waiting for when Makoto finally chose to leave, and then as soon as he did, he'd had his arm grabbed with an iron grip. "Are you done for the day?" was the only question that Byakuya had to ask, his shoulders slack with either exhaustion, casualness, or in preparation for Makoto's answer, Makoto couldn't actually tell.
Maybe they should've called it quits. Fate didn't really seem to be on their side that day. But it was also for that exact same reason... "Not at all."
Makoto was tired of being interrupted, sure, which seemed like all the more reason to try to get in at least one, just one quiet, private, "just the two of them" moment before the day was over. If they just gave up now, then it'd only leave them both upset and frustrated, right? As far as Makoto could see it, there was no point in ending their day on a sour note. And who knows, maybe, just maybe, this time would be the one in which they got the chance to drink their fill of each other's company in solitude.
And that's the logic, that's the stubborn determination to get things right at least once today that led them to classroom storage closet.
It's not...as claustrophobic as Makoto would've imagined making out in a closet would be, not - n-not that he actually spent time fantasizing about what it would be like to make out in a closet or anything. It's a little cramped, sure, but they both more than make up for that issue when they stay pressed close together, which is kind of the point of what they're doing. It might not exactly be the most romantic, but after today, Makoto's in no mood to be picky.
Still, the irony of the situation is something he can't pass up. "I...I still can't get over the fact that you, Byakuya Togami...heir apparent of the Togami corporation, chose to make out in a storage closet, of all places."
Byakuya's fingers are tangled up in his hair and his lips are pressed against Makoto's jaw. When he speaks, his voice is right by Makoto's ear, a subtle, almost breathy growl, and it makes his skin tingle. "I didn't hear you giving any other suggestions."
At some point, maybe during the loosening of clothes that happened while they were in the garden, Byakuya's button-up has come untucked from his pants. The fact that the fabric is no longer pulled taut over flesh allows for Makoto to sneak his hands underneath the shirt and rest them against the bare skin of Byakuya's back. Even the slightest movement of his fingers is enough to draw a twitch of muscles, a sharp intake of air, and Makoto can't help the swell of pride he feels over the fact that for once, Byakuya's the one who's being played like a fiddle. "I mean," Makoto says, a trickle of that confidence seeping into his tone, "I didn't say I was complaining."
Byakuya hums against Makoto's neck, trailing light as a feather kisses down his jugular, only stopping to let out a poorly-suppressed gasp when Makoto's hands move up a little higher and his thumbs just barely brush against Byakuya's ribs. He pulls away and before Makoto's even given the chance to ask if there's a problem, Byakuya relocates and presses his lips against Makoto's, working with a desperate sort of rhythm, probably in an attempt to regain some semblance of control. He's always been the dominant one if the relationship, both in personality and experience; he's clearly not used to be rattled like this.
Makoto's prepared to back off a bit, breaking away just to say, "If this is too much, too fast, I can stop - "
Byakuya is quick to cut him off. "I didn't say I was complaining."
Nevermind, then.
If Byakuya really wants control of their situation, Makoto supposes he doesn't mind giving it up, but part of him, that little part of him that isn't used to this but kind of likes being able to make Byakuya squirm, wants to at least make him work for it. Makoto brings his hands up along Byakuya's back, bringing them to a stop just underneath Byakuya's shoulder blades. Byakuya responds in kind by pulling Makoto in closer, one arm wrapped tightly around his waist with while the other hand is still wound in fistfuls of Makoto's hair. It's pretty obvious what he's doing, playing the "I'm physically taller and stronger than you" card that Byakuya is fond of even outside of the realm of making out. It's also one that Byakuya is well aware Makoto's weak to, so it's clear that he knows what he's doing here.
It seems pretty clear that this is a fight Makoto won't be winning, but even still, before backing down entirely, he makes one last push in the form of lightly nipping on Byakuya's lower lip. That's enough to draw one last gasp from Byakuya and with it, Makoto's eyes slip closed, deciding he's satisfied, and allows Byakuya the control he's been working for. As expected, Byakuya accepts it immediately, taking over where Makoto's push for force had tapered off, deepening their kiss with an almost hungry impatience -
"What are you two doing?"
Instantaneously, Makoto's eyes shoot open and he frantically struggles to worm his way out of Byakuya's embrace. Unfortunately, in the process, he also manages to bang his head against one of the closet's shelving units, causing a spike of pain to blossom at the back of his head and he yelps, one hand flying up to rub at the spot that's most likely going to result in a painful bump now. The end result leaves him flushed bright red and wincing in front of Kyoko Kirigiri, who simply folds her arms across her chest.
"K-Kyoko!" Being interrupted while making out with your boyfriend is one thing. After the day he's had, Makoto thinks he's more or less used to it by now. The real issue he has with this situation is that it's another matter entirely when the person doing the interrupting is one of your best friends whose trust and respect you worked very hard to gain. "I - I just, I mean, we were just, uhh..."
Byakuya, on the other hand, is taking the interruption surprisingly well. Despite the fact that his face is flushed only slightly less than Makoto's and he's clearly still a little out of breath from his prior engagement, he simply readjusts his attire and asks, with only a hint of edge to his voice, "What are you doing here?"
She shrugs, face like a mask when she answers, "I needed graphing paper. Though, I believe I asked you both a question first?"
"L-look, I - we can explain, really! We - we were only..." Makoto is desperate to save face, sure, but even still, his mouth refuses to work with the words, 'We were making out in this storage closet because we thought it would be the one place no one would think to look for us, because we've had really poor luck with that today and we were only looking for a little bit of privacy, just once before dinner time.' Something about admitting that out loud to Kyoko of all people is just too mortifying for him to accomplish.
Instead, while he's left there standing gaping and tongue-tied, Byakuya answers, "We were busy."
Kyoko raises one eyebrow questioningly. "I can see that. In a closet?"
"Do you have a problem with that?" Byakuya shoots back without missing a beat. It's kind of admirable how he can manage to stay so composed and not lose face when he was literally just caught making out in a storage closet.
"Not at all, it's none of my business," Kyoko replies. It's also kind of admirable how she can manage to stay so unaffected, despite the fact that she just found her two classmates making out in a storage closet. Makoto's really glad Kyoko's not the type for blackmail because he's pretty sure he'd never live this down if it got out to the rest of their class. "I just have one more question."
"And what might that be?" Byakuya asks, that hint of ice creeping back into his voice, like he's asking her to make sure she chooses her next words very carefully.
Kyoko is, as expected, still just as unaffected as before and she asks without hesitation, "You two do realize you both have private rooms you could take this to, don't you?"
...
Byakuya has no response. Hell, Makoto has no response. Both of them just stand there slack-jawed and wordless as the dawning realization settles over them. Honestly, Makoto has to seriously wonder how that thought hadn't occurred to them or even slightly crossed their minds at any point today. He isn't given long to ponder that, however, because as soon as that breaking epiphany settles in, Byakuya seizes his arm and states, "We're going to my room. Now."
Makoto's almost too stunned to speak, only being able to offer his agreement via rapid wordless nodding. On his way out, he's only just barely able to remember to say goodbye to Kyoko and give her his thanks. When they finally reach the dormitories, Byakuya's so impatient that's he's fumbling to get his room key even in the lock.
And Makoto's so impatient that Byakuya's only just barely managed to get the door locked when he throws his arms around the blond's neck and pulls his boyfriend in to continue where they left off.
And this time, there are no more interruptions.